• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.281-288
• /
• 2021

This study was conducted to analyze and compare the concentrations of heavy metals in 430 different products of 20 types of herbal medicines available in the domestic market in Korea by Graphite Furnace-Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (GF-AAS) and automated mercury analyzer. The accuracy for lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) was in the range 92.67-102.56%, and the precision was 0.21-6.00 relative standard deviation (RSD%), which was in compliance with the Codex acceptable range. Furthermore, the Food Analysis Performance Assessment Scheme (FAPAS) quality control (QC) material showed a recovery range of 96.7-102.0% and 0.33-4.93 RSD%. The average contents (㎍/kg) of Pb, As, Cd, and Hg in herbal medicines were 254.9 (not detected (N.D.)-2,515.2), 171.0 (N.D.-2,465.2), 99.2 (N.D.-797.1), and 6.0 (N.D.-83.6), respectively. Based on the quantitative analysis results, the heavy metal contents of 20 types of herbal medicines distributed in Korea are within the acceptable range according to the standards issued by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). By using the manufacturer of herbal products as the standard for QC, the Pb, As, Cd, and Hg contents were investigated in the packaging process just before distribution to determine the actual conditions of residual heavy metals in herbal medicines. Thus, these result may contribute to monitoring the QC of herbal medicines distributed in Korea and could provide basic data for supplying safe herbal medicines to the public.

• Journal of the Korean Society of International Agriculture
• /
• v.23 no.5
• /
• pp.497-502
• /
• 2011

Broccoli is considered as one of the functional foods to offer a hearty supply of the nutrient-rich vegetable in the world. Broccoli contains high level of phytochemicals, and that is selected as one of the top 10 vegetables for human health promotion. Especially, glucosinolates and flavonoids are well known as anti free oxygen radicals in vegetables and fruits. In Korea, broccoli consumption has increased to well known on the health-beneficial vegetables since 2000. However, broccoli has many problems of postharvest management since the quality of harvested heads quickly declines. Major problems are the floret yellowing, wilting, off-odor, and decay. The multiple postharvest applications improve broccoli quality and cold treatment including pre-cooling extends on the shelf-life with circumstance of optimum storage which is 0℃ temperature and a range of 95-100% relative humidity. Controlled atmosphere or modified atmosphere packaging can be used as supplemental treatments to extend postharvest life. 1-2% O₂ + 5-10% CO₂ is currently recommended for broccoli. Postharvest management is important for broccoli because price fluctuations depend on harvest time and quality. In this study, we tried to review physiological change of broccoli after the harvest, storage method, and various techniques to optimize quality during distribution.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.132-141
• /
• 2012

This current survey was conducted to examine consumer attitudes toward factors determining beef purchasing and improving distribution systems. The frequency of beef purchasing was shown to reflect social and economic status, where inhabitants in large cities, such as Seoul, with higher salaries showed a higher frequency. In addition, consumers that were in their forties bought beef more frequently than consumers that were in their twenties. Consumers in Seoul and the megalopolis with a monthly income of higher than 200 million won preferred to purchase meat from department stores and discount markets. In contrast, people in small cities with lower incomes tended to buy meat from butcher shops and brand shops. In a question regarding unsatisfaction factors of retail beef, individuals that were in their thirties with a high income had concerns associated with packaging problems. For people under thirty with low income, the consistency of quality and price were the prime concerns. In regards to the beef grading system, consumer response varied between inhabitants, monthly income and age group, where consumers from small cities that were in their twenties and forties with a low income had a negative viewpoint. For the differential beef distribution system, housewives between the ages of 30 and 40 from a small city with an income higher than 200 million won had a positive response; however, a large number of consumers were not familiar with this system. The most demanding beef cuts were in the following order: loin, flank and rib. In addition, the most important factors determining purchasing beef were as follows: price, breed and portion.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.5-20
• /
• 1997

War and poverty depress the consumption of cosmetics, while peace and prosperity encourage their proliferation. With the end of World War II, the US, Europe and Japan witnessed rapid growth of their cosmetic industries. The ending of the Cold War has stimulated the growth of the industry in Eastern Europe. Improved economies, and mass communication are also responsible for the fast growth of the cosmetic industries in many Asian nations. The rapid development of the cosmetic industry in mainland China over the past decade proves that changing economies and political climates can deeply affect the health of our business. In addition to war, economy, political climate and mass communication, factors such as lifestyle, religion, morality and value concepts, can also affect the growth of our industry. Cosmetics are the product of the society. As society and the needs of its people change, cosmetics also evolve with respect to their contents, packaging, distribution, marketing concepts, and emphasis. In many ways, cosmetics mirror our society, reflecting social changes. Until the early 70's, cosmetics in the US were primarily developed for white women. The civil rights movement of the 60's gave birth to ethnic cosmetics, and products designed for African-Americans became popular in the 70's and 80's. The consumerism of the 70's led the FDA to tighten cosmetic regulations, forcing manufacturers to disclose ingredients on their labels. The result was the spread of safety-oriented, "hypoallergenic" cosmetics and more selective use of ingredients. The new ingredient labeling law in Europe is also likely to affect the manner in which development chemists choose ingredients for new products. Environmental pollution, too, can affect cosmetics trends. For example, the concern over ozone depletion in the stratosphere has promoted the consumption of suncare products. Similarly, the popularity of natural cosmetic ingredients, the search of non-animal testing methods, and ecology-conscious cosmetic packaging seen in recent years all reflect the profound influences of our changing world. In the 1980's, a class of efficacy-oriented skin-care products, which the New York Times dubbed "serious" cosmetics, emerged in the US. "Cosmeceuticals" refer to hybrids of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals which have gained importance in the US in the 90's and are quickly spreading world-wide. In spite of regulatory problems, consumer demand and new technologies continue to encourage their development. New classes of cosmeceuticals are emerging to meet the demands of increasingly affluent Asian consumers as we enter the 21st century. as we enter the 21st century.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.17-27
• /
• 2011

As the world becomes more globalized, business competition becomes fiercer, while consumers' needs for less expensive quality products are on the increase. Business operations make an effort to secure a competitive edge in costs and services, and the logistics industry, that is, the industry operating the storing and transporting of goods, once thought to be an expense, begins to be considered as the third cash cow, a source of new income. Logistics centers are central to storage, loading and unloading of deliveries, packaging operations, and dispensing goods' information. As hubs for various deliveries, they also serve as a core infrastructure to smoothly coordinate manufacturing and selling, using varied information and operation systems. Logistics centers are increasingly on the rise as centers of business supply activities, growing beyond their previous role of primarily storing goods. They are no longer just facilities; they have become logistics strongholds that encompass various features from demand forecast to the regulation of supply, manufacturing, and sales by realizing SCM, taking into account marketability and the operation of service and products. However, despite these changes in logistics operations, some centers have been unable to shed their past roles as warehouses. For the continuous development of logistics centers, various measures would be needed, including a revision of current supporting policies, formulating effective management plans, and establishing systematic standards for founding, managing, and controlling logistics centers. To this end, the research explored previous studies on the use and effectiveness of logistics centers. From a theoretical perspective, an evaluation of the overall introduction, purposes, and transitions in the use of logistics centers found issues to ponder and suggested measures to promote and further advance logistics centers. First, a fact-finding survey to establish demand forecast and standardization is needed. As logistics newspapers predicted that after 2012 supply would exceed demand, causing rents to fall, the business environment for logistics centers has faltered. However, since there is a shortage of fact-finding surveys regarding actual demand for domestic logistic centers, it is hard to predict what the future holds for this industry. Accordingly, the first priority should be to get to the essence of the current market situation by conducting accurate domestic and international fact-finding surveys. Based on those, management and evaluation indicators should be developed to build the foundation for the consistent advancement of logistics centers. Second, many policies for logistics centers should be revised or developed. Above all, a guideline for fair trade between a shipper and a commercial logistics center should be enacted. Since there are no standards for fair trade between them, rampant unfair trades according to market practices have brought chaos to market orders, and now the logistics industry is confronting its own difficulties. Therefore, unfair trade cases that currently plague logistics centers should be gathered by the industry and fair trade guidelines should be established and implemented. In addition, restrictive employment regulations for foreign workers should be eased, and logistics centers should be charged industry rates for the use of electricity. Third, various measures should be taken to improve the management environment. First, we need to find out how to activate value-added logistics. Because the traditional purpose of logistics centers was storage and loading/unloading of goods, their profitability had a limit, and the need arose to find a new angle to create a value added service. Logistic centers have been perceived as support for a company's storage, manufacturing, and sales needs, not as creators of profits. The center's role in the company's economics has been lowering costs. However, as the logistics' management environment spiraled, along with its storage purpose, developing a new feature of profit creation should be a desirable goal, and to achieve that, value added logistics should be promoted. Logistics centers can also be improved through cost estimation. In the meantime, they have achieved some strides in facility development but have still fallen behind in others, particularly in management functioning. Lax management has been rampant because the industry has not developed a concept of cost estimation. The centers have since made an effort toward unification, standardization, and informatization while realizing cost reductions by establishing systems for effective management, but it has been hard to produce profits. Thus, there is an urgent need to estimate costs by determining a basic cost range for each division of work at logistics centers. This undertaking can be the first step to improving the ineffective aspects of how they operate. Ongoing research and constant efforts have been made to improve the level of effectiveness in the manufacturing industry, but studies on resource management in logistics centers are hardly enough. Thus, a plan to calculate the optimal level of resources necessary to operate a logistics center should be developed and implemented in management behavior, for example, by standardizing the hours of operation. If logistics centers, shippers, related trade groups, academic figures, and other experts could launch a committee to work with the government and maintain an ongoing relationship, the constraint and cooperation among members would help lead to coherent development plans for logistics centers. If the government continues its efforts to provide financial support, nurture professional workers, and maintain safety management, we can anticipate the continuous advancement of logistics centers.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.426-431
• /
• 2016

To compare the quality characteristics of commercial wasabi paste products, the physicochemical and microbial characteristics of 6 samples were analyzed. In addition, the contents of allyl isothiocyanate, which show unique flavor and antimicrobial activity in wasabi paste products, were compared. pH of commercial 6 wasabi products were ranged from $4.12{\pm}0.01$ to $4.90{\pm}0.01$, and titratable acidities of products distributed at cold temperature (CW) were higher $0.60{\pm}0.00{\sim}0.77{\pm}0.02%$ than those of products distributed at room temperature (RW). Salinities of RW were higher ($4.27{\pm}0.06{\sim}7.53{\pm}0.12%$) than those of CW ($2.20{\pm}0.00{\sim}3.60{\pm}0.10%$). Soluble solid and sorbitol contents of RW were higher ($33.00{\pm}1.00{\sim}44.67{\pm}2.08^{\circ}Brix$, $378.90{\pm}63.79{\sim}724.37{\pm}7.85mg%$) than those of CW ($22.00{\pm}1.73{\sim}27.00{\pm}1.00^{\circ}Brix$, $27.67{\pm}9.92{\sim}175.31{\pm}10.56mg%$), respectively. The viable cell counts of samples were $ND{\sim}3.65{\pm}0.23 log\;CFU/g$ without distribution method and packaging type, and yeasts and molds were not detected in 6 wasabi products. Allyl isothiocyanate contents of RW were higher ($53.35{\pm}0.08{\sim}159.76{\pm}0.81mg%$) than those of CW ($24.07{\pm}7.69{\sim}48.19{\pm}0.15mg%$).

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.477-484
• /
• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the content of sulfur dioxide, carotenoids and the degree of contamination of Bacillus cereus in 33 kinds of dried sweet potato from domestic mainly dried agricultural products in Korea. According to the characteristics of dried sweet potato samples, it was classified into four clusters and as a result of analyzing the contents of sulfur dioxide, carotenoids and the degree of contamination B. cereus was no significant difference among the clusters. The detection ranges of residual sulfur dioxide from 33 dried sweet potatoes ranged from 0.38 to 28.16 mg/kg, three cases (9.09%) were detected at the reference level of 10 mg/kg or more. But no samples exceeding 30 mg/kg, the tolerance level of sulfur dioxide in dried sweet potatoes were detected. Since dried sweet potato does not have a standard for carotenoids, when comparing the national and international standards of carotenoids, the range of detection of carotenoids in dried sweet potato was $46{\sim}2,663{\mu}g$/100 g, which was within the reference range of $0{\sim}9,826{\mu}g$/100 g. In principle colonies suspected to be B. cereus in dried sweet potato were not detected. In 7 cases (21.21%), there were detected in the range of 0.05~1.59 log CFU/g but not more than 3 log CFU/g as the reference value. The results of this study are expected to be used as basic data to establish quality standard for dried sweet potatoes. In order to control the quality of dried sweet potatoes in domestic market, raw materials, drying method and packaging after distribution, it is necessary to maintain and maintain the process steadily.